The Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee, said it destroyed 15 militant camps and arrested 17 suspected pirates and sea robbers within its area of jurisdiction in Akwa Ibom.
Commodore Abdulmajid Ibrahim, Commander, NNS Jubilee, disclosed this to newsmen on Thursday at the Jubilee Base in Ikot Abasi.
Ibrahim said the militant camps were discovered and destroyed and the suspects arrested during the anti-piracy and anti-sea robbery routine operations from May 2020 to January.
The commander said the destruction of the camps was made possible through the navy’s penetration of some of the creeks within the jurisdiction of the base.
According to him, during the period, the navy also seized 285, 000 litres of illegally refined AGO and different kinds of ammunition from the suspects.
“Within six months as commander of the base, we have destroyed 15 militant camps, arrested 17 suspects during our operations and recovered 285,000 litres of AGO and ammunition from them, and have handed over the suspects and items to the prosecuting agencies.
“We were involved in a joint patrol with the police across the base communities every day. This has led to relative peace and security in the area and brought illegal bunkering to the barest minimum.
“Our strategy is continuous aggressive patrol. We try to dominate the water space and maritime environment. Within the last six months, there has been no attack on the NNS infrastructure.
“We have maintained a good civil-military relationship with our host community, through our Corporate Social Responsibility.
“We carry out free medical consultations and give out drugs within our capacity in our medical rhapsody outreach programme,” Ibrahim said.
He said that the joint patrol operations of the navy and police had resulted in relative peace and security in the area and brought illegal bunkering and trade on the waterways to the barest minimum.
Ibrahim attributed the success of their operations to intelligence information gathered from members of the public, calling for more support in that regard.
He assured that the sources of such information would remain confidential and protected, stressing that to effectively deal with piracy and sea robbery, members of the public must volunteer credible information to the navy.
The commander reminded the people that perpetrators of illegal maritime activities, live within the communities and were known to the people.
He urged the people to volunteer information on nefarious activities, adding that such would help the navy and other security agencies to tackle crime.
On infrastructure development in the base, the commander said that in January this year, the Chief of Naval Staff inaugurated 1×36 rooms rating arrival hall constructed by the Naval Headquarters for NNS Jubilee in Ikot Abasi.
He added that 4× 2 bedroom flat and 10×1 bedroom flat are currently under construction in the base to ease accommodation problems for the personnel.
The commander said that in line with the directives of the Chief of Naval Staff, NNS Jubilee would continue to patrol Nigeria coastal areas to rid the waterways of piracy and criminalities.
NAN.
